Dispenser preferably for medical preparations

ABSTRACT

A dispenser for medical preparations has a body with several spaces or compartments therein, and at least one cover which is movable stepwise relative to the dispenser body so that the spaces or compartments which are delimited from each other are uncovered one after the other. The dispenser which can be replenished time and again with doses of medical preparations has time indications at each space or compartment and a holder for a card showing the prescribed dosage.

United States Patent Inventor Kjell Moe Stocksund, Sweden App]. No. 38,944

Filed May 20, 1970 Division of Ser. No. 793,047, Jan. 22, 1969, Pat. No. 3,537,422.

Patented Nov. 9, 1971 Assignee Eneqvist & Holme Flrmacevtiska AB Stockholm, Sweden DISPENSER PREFERABLY FOR MEDICAL PREPARATIONS 4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl .l 116/121, 206/42, 217/62, 312/2343 Int. Cl 6091 9/00 FieldofSearch 116/121, 135; 206/42;217/28, 62. 18; BIZ/234.3. 234, 234.1. 234.2

[56] Relerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,154,702 9/1915 Langseth 217/62 2,115,021 4/1938 Joifee 312/2344 X 2,132,652 10/1938 Schmiedemann. 312/2344 3,225,913 12/1965 Lee 206/42 3,397,770 8/1968 Howard at al. 206/42 3,537,422 11/1970 Moe 116/121 Primary E.raminer- Louis J. Capozi Attorney-Beveridge & Degrandi ABSTRACT: A dispenser for medical preparations has a body with several spaces or compartments therein. and at least one cover which is movable stepwise relative to the dispenser body so that the spaces or compartments which are delimited from each other are uncovered one after the other. The dispenser which can be replenished time and again with doses of medical preparations has time indications at each space or companment and a holder for a card showing the prescribed dosage.

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KJFLL Moe DISPENSER PREFERABLY FOR MEDICAL PREPARATIONS RELATED APPLICATION This application is a division of my copending US. application, Ser. No. 793,047, filed Jan. 22, I969 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,422.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention relates to a dispenser preferably for medical preparations in tablet form.

In packages for medical preparations in tablet form, of the type that shall be taken at certain times it is known to portion the preparations in so-called blister packages which have time indications printed on them. This system is adapted precisely to the preparation to be packed thereinto and is bound to the intervals determined by the manufacturer at the construction of the packaging.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a dispenser for tablets and other medical preparations, which is to be filled according to the prescription made by the doctor in each particular case. The characteristic features of this dispenser are that the dispenser has at least one cover and comprises a number of replenishable compartments or spaces which corresponds to the number of times the medical preparation is to be taken during a certain time, markings at said compartments or spaces showing the time the contents thereof is to be taken, snap-action means permitting a stepwise movement of the cover, each movement of the cover by one step resulting in uncovering of one compartment, and means for detachable fixation of a card or like means showing the type and prescribed dosage of the medical or other preparation.

For better understanding the invention will be more fully described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating three embodiments of the dispenser in accordance with the invention.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the dispenser;

FIG. 2 is a section of the dispenser taken on line IIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the second embodiment of the dispenser;

FIG. 4 is a section of the dispenser taken on line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the third embodiment of the dispenser;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the dispenser shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section taken on line VII-VII in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary portion of a longitudinal section taken on line VIII-VIII in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is part ofa cross section taken on line IX--IX in FIG. 6.

The dispenser illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is primarily intended for use by patients for whom a large amount of a medical preparation is prescribed at one and the same time. It comprises a body I and covers 2. The dispenser body is divided into a plurality of compartments 3 defined by partitions 4. The compartments are arranged in seven rows 5one for each weekday -and in each row there are four consecutive compartments, for instance for breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper. Extending transversely across the rows 5 are ribs 7, and the facing edges I! of said ribs together form guide grooves for the sliding covers 2. The facing rib edges 8 should suitably be arranged in such a way that they form dovetail grooves, and the edges of the covers 2 should be given a conforming shape. To provide controlled extraction of the covers, preventing too far an extraction thereof, a boss or like member 9 is provided at the upper edge of the extreme end wall 4 and the covers have recesses 10 at their undersides, into which snaps the boss 9 at the end wall. As will appear most clearly from FIG. 1 where the uppermost cover 2 is shown removed from the dispenser body in longitudinal section, there is such a recess 10 at a level with each partition 4. At the bottom of the dispenser body is made an elongate recess II which is covered by a transparent plate 12. This plate 12 is detachable and in tended to cover a prescription card showing the prescribed dosage-the amount of, and the intervals when, the respective preparation is to be taken.

This type of dispenser is intended particularly for persons who for a long time have to take several tablet preparations, for instance one type of tablets once a day, another type of tablets at meals and perhaps a third type of tablets at night. The dispenser prevents a double intake and simultaneously permits checking that the respective preparations have been taken in the prescribed order.

The embodiment of the dispenser illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 is primarily intended for use in hospitals and like institutions where medical preparations are handed out daily. It is meant to replace the cups and like receptacles hitherto used. In this embodiment, I5 designates the dispenser proper which has four aligned compartments 16. The dispenser is closed by a cover 17 which slides in guides of the same kind as do the covers in the earlier embodiment. The end wall 18' has a boss 19 which coacts with recesses 20 at the underside of the cover so that when the cover is extracted a clicking noise is heard each time a partition 18 is passed. In this embodiment also the underside of the dispenser body has an elongate recess 2I provided therein to accommodate a card or like means showing the name of the patient and the type and prescribed dosage of the medial preparations contained in the dispenser.

The third embodiment of the dispenser shown in FIGS. 5-9 is a modification or development of the first embodiment and can be disassembled altogether to permit efficient cleaning thereof. The dispenser body designated I comprises three parts, namely the body proper which is divided into compartments 3 by partitions 4, end walls 4' and a bottom 101, a top piece 103 having a groove I02 for the sliding covers 2' which are equipped with snap action latches, and a bottom piece 12. Along the outer longitudinal edges the top piece 103 has downwardly extending projections 104 with grooves 105 therein for accommodating rib-shaped projections I06 at the edges of the body 1'. Raised ribs 108 spaced the same distance apart as the transverse partitions and end walls of the body I extend between the edge portions 107 of the top piece [03. The ribs I08 and the portions 109 in which the grooves 102 for sliding covers 2' are provided, together constitute a lattice which corresponds to the partitions 4 and end walls 4' of the body I. One short end of the top piece 103 has an end abutment 110 and at the opposite end of the top piece I03 there is arranged a locking device in the form of a boss III engaging the edge of the body, as will appear from FIG. 8. The bottom piece I2 which corresponds to the plate 12 in the embodiment according to FIGS. 2 and 4 is made of transparent material and at the longitudinal edges has grooved projections 102 which are intended for coaction with ribs H3 at the lower edges of the body I. The bottom piece 12' which is intended to cover the prescription card or like means to be mounted at the underside of the dispenser, also has abutments and a locking device to prevent unintentional displacement. In other respects this embodiment substantially agrees with the empear in conventional characters as well as in braille. To make it easier for persons of reduced eyesight to find the correct time indication the earlier mentioned ribs 108 in FIGS. -9 are raised with regard to the ribs 109. Besides, the ends of the covers 2' are provided with upturned finger grips.

It is obvious that the number of compartments as well as their mutual disposition and relative size can be varied. For practical reasons, however, the number of embodiments should suitably be restricted to two main types one for a whole-week use according to FIGS. 1-2 and 5-9, and one for l -day use according to FlGS. 3-4, which will satisfy normal needs.

The dispenser according to the present invention increases the possibilities of the patient to adhere to the doctor's prescription and makes it possible for doctors or relatives to check that the prescription dosage is strictly followed. The risk of a double intake of medical preparations is highly reduced, as already mentioned, and the risk that another doctor than he who made the original prescription will prescribe synonymous preparations or such preparations as can lead to unfavorable effects in connection with those already prescribed, is eliminated because the prescription card is always available at the rear face of the dispenser. The dispenser according to the present invention is primarily intended for use by old patients and others who can adhere only with difficulty to the conventional medication prescribed.

Various modifications can be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is;

l. A method of storing and dispensing difierent types of medical preparations such as medicine pills or tablets over the course of a week with the use of a dispenser having seven rows of compartments, one row for each day of the week, with each row including at least three compartments for morning, midcourse of an entire week, and at certain time intervals in each day of the week dispensing the stored preparations from the compartments corresponding to the said certain time interval thus insuring that the proper preparation is dispensed at the prearranged time interval.

2. In combination with the method defined in claim I wherein after all the preparations are dispensed from the dispenser at the end of a week, the step of replenishing the compartments with medical preparations in the same manner as defined in claim 1 for the next week, and repeating the process for succeeding weeks as may be necessary.

3. The method defined in claim 1 further including the step of examining the contents of the compartments noting the presence or absence of preparations therein to determine whether the preparations have been dispensed in a prearranged order.

4. A method of storing different types of medical preparations for dispensing at preselected time intervals during each of a number of days; comprising arranging the preparations in a number of rows corresponding to the number of days during which the preparations are to be taken, and within each row arranging the preparations according to the successive time intervals during each day the preparations are to be taken.

i i i i 

1. A method of storing and dispensing different types of medical preparations such as medicine pills or tablets over the course of a week with the use of a dispenser having seven rows of compartments, one row for each day in the week, with each row including at least three compartments for morning, midday and evening time intervals at which certain preparations are to be dispensed for taking by a patient; the method comprising placing different types of medical preparations into compartments in each of the rows according to the specific time interval the specific type of preparation is to be taken by a patient as prescribed by a doctor or pharmacist so that the different types of preparations are prearranged according to the specific time intervals they are to be taken throughout the course of an entire week, and at certain time intervals in each day of the week dispensing the stored preparations from the compartments corresponding to the said certain time interval thus insuring that the proper preparation is dispensed at the prearranged time interval.
 2. In combination with the method defined in claim 1 wherein after all the preparations are dispensed from the dispenser at the end of a week, the step of replenishing the compartments with medical preparations in the same manner as defined in claim 1 for the next week, and repeating the process for succeeding weeks as may be necessary.
 3. The method defined in claim 1 further includiNg the step of examining the contents of the compartments noting the presence or absence of preparations therein to determine whether the preparations have been dispensed in a prearranged order.
 4. A method of storing different types of medical preparations for dispensing at preselected time intervals during each of a number of days; comprising arranging the preparations in a number of rows corresponding to the number of days during which the preparations are to be taken, and within each row arranging the preparations according to the successive time intervals during each day the preparations are to be taken. 